


Day 23 - Exhaustion, Sleep Deprivation (temp title)

by Huntress8611



Series: Whumptober 2020 [23]
Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: (specifically sleep deprivation experments), Aftermath of Torture, Day 23, Exhaustion, Human Experimentation, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nicky | Nicolo di Genova Gets a Hug, Nicky | Nicolò di Genova Needs a Hug, Nicky | Nicolò di Genova Whump, Panic Attacks, Protective Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani, Sleep Deprivation, Sleepiness, Whumptober, Whumptober 2020, sorta?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:08:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27172229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Huntress8611/pseuds/Huntress8611
Summary: “Nicolo, it’s me. It’s Yusuf, we came to get you,” he said softly, pressing a hand against his cheek.He looked awful, like he hadn’t slept at all in the 8 days it took for them to find him. Maybe he hadn’t.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Series: Whumptober 2020 [23]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1946887
Comments: 12
Kudos: 180
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Day 23 - Exhaustion, Sleep Deprivation (temp title)

**Author's Note:**

> The title of this work is from the song _______________.
> 
> This work fills the prompt for Whumptober Day 23: Exhaustion, Sleep Deprivation.
> 
> TWs: aftermath of torture/experimentation (specifically a sleep deprivation experiment), panic attacks

“Nicolo, it’s me. It’s Yusuf, we came to get you,” he said softly, pressing a hand against his cheek.

He looked awful, like he hadn’t slept at all in the 8 days it took for them to find him. Maybe he hadn’t.

“Yusuf,” he slurred.

Andy was taking care of the guards and the “scientists,” so Booker and Nile worked on removing the restraints that were holding Nicolo up so that he was hanging by his wrists. Yusuf wrapped his arms around him and lifted him just enough to take the pressure off of Nicolo’s wrists and shoulders.

Yusuf tightened his grip, managing to keep his balance when Nicolo practically collapsed against him, Nile having unhooked the cuffs from the ceiling before quickly removing them from his wrists.

“C’mon, let’s go.” Yusuf looked up at the sound of Andy’s voice, unsurprised to see that she was covered in blood.

He nodded and moved Nicolo’s arms so that they were around his neck and scooped him up. He didn’t weigh enough, he thought as he started walking. They must not have been feeding him.

Surprisingly, Nicolo didn’t fall asleep in his arms, or in the car. In fact, they made it all the way to the bedroom in the safehouse and he was  _ still _ awake.

“Nicolo,” Yusuf said, managing to pull back the covers with one hand before setting him down on the bed. “Nicolo, are you okay?”

“I- Idunno,’t’sweird,” he slurred, and Yusuf could barely understand him.

“I’m so sorry it took us so long,” he said, sitting down on the edge of their bed and gently running his fingers through the other man’s hair.

He turned his head towards Yusuf, and his eyes slowly fell closed.

“There you go, just sleep, habibi. You’re safe now.”

For a moment, it looked like Nicolo had fallen asleep, but within a few seconds, his eyes flew open and he bolted upright. He had a crazed look in his eyes, probably a result of the sleep deprivation, and he wasn’t breathing.

“Nicolo, Nicolo, hey. Hey, you’re okay,” Yusuf said, pulling him into a tight hug. Nicolo wrapped his arms around him immediately, and he was shaking.

“What’s wrong?”

“Can’t- can’t sleep,” he said. “Not supposed to sleep, they- they’ll-”

Somehow this was the clearest he’d spoken since they’d found him, and he seemed wide awake, but not in a good way, everything was off.

“Breathe, Nicolo. Breathe,” Yusuf murmured cradling his love’s head to his shoulder. “Breathe, you’re safe. You’re okay. I need you to breathe so you can tell me what’s going on.”

He tried to breathe, but ended up making a horrible, choked-off whine that broke Yusuf’s heart.

He started humming, resting his cheek on top on top of Nicolo’s head. Nicolo held on to him as tightly as he could, trying to catch his breath. It took him a bit, but he managed.

“What’s wrong?” Yusuf asked softly.

“I can’t sleep, I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“They- they- I’m not allowed to fall asleep,” he repeated.

“They hurt you when you fell asleep?” he asked, hoping he was wrong, but Nicolo nodded against his shoulder. “You didn’t sleep at all, the whole time you were there?” He shook his head.

“Oh, love, I’m so sorry.”

He kept a tight hold on Nicolo with one arm as he managed to maneuver his way under Nicolo so that they were both lying down, Nicolo still wrapped up in his arms.

“‘M so tired,” Nicolo mumbled, sounding like he might start crying.

“I know, I’m sorry,” Yusuf said, pressing a kiss to the top of his hair. “I know.”

“I can’t  _ sleep, _ though.” At that he did let out a small sob, burying his face in Yusuf’s shirt. “I’m sorry, I want to sleep, I want to, but I  _ can't.” _

“Shh, it’s okay,” he said, starting to run his fingers through Nicolo’s hair again. “It’s okay. You don’t have to sleep, you can just lay here and rest.”

Nicolo nodded, but didn’t relax like Yusuf had wanted. He was hoping that if he could get him to relax enough and feel safe, he might drift off to sleep. He wouldn’t try to force him to sleep, but he could try to get him comfortable enough to do it on his own.

Yusuf began to hum again, hoping that the soft music would help Nicolo relax the way it usually did, and sure enough, it did. He felt him slowly relax, his breathing evening out a bit. It took a little while, but soon enough, Nicoo had drifted off to sleep. Yusuf didn’t stop for nearly half an hour after that, not wanting to risk him waking up, but he seemed to be completely out.

“Goodnight, habibi. Sleep well.”


End file.
